After a week of fierce love-making and restoring their marriage, the wives departed into the Mausoleum as well, tasked with achieving Tier 4 by grinding the beasts in the Green Realm, or at least collecting precious plants, bones or minerals from the enormous treasure realm.

And while Lia and Aria had already reached Tier 4, but they were still very unlikely to survive in the Blue Realm, especially if confronted with a Godbeast.

Thus, Pef gave a few Universe Pills to Lia before they departed, to be used in an emergency. The Archdevil Yamon also joined that group, since he would need lots of resources for his cultivation journey as well. Cellia remained in close cultivation, no doubt digesting and meditating on the ice sprite knowledge gifted by our hero.

Once again, Pef and Rejin found themselves alone on the observation deck, sipping Godwine and talking. Well, it was mostly Rejin imparting some wisdom on the young cultivator, filling up the gaps in Pef's own understanding.

"That you have trouble upgrading this Taichi method to the Monarch Realm only proves your own cultivation is shallow and too rapid." The Alchemist said with a grim tone.

Pef nodded in agreement. "Yes, I know. I used pills for that ascension, as there was an urgent need back home. There was a spirit Worm beast the size of a mountain at Saint Rank about to emerge from hibernation and infest the planet with mindworms. We still lost a whole continent to those worms, even though we managed to kill the beast."

Rejin sighed and caressed his beard, while looking past Pef as if recalling his past. "Cultivation is a journey, not a goal itself. What you are doing now, sending a billion people in this Mausoleum to forcefully increase their realm is not doing them a favor. Millions of them will still die, you know that?"

Pef shrugged and sipped more wine. "Even if it's forced, this process is still natural. Faster and accelerated by the density of beasts and experiences, but the same would happen during a golith invasion or some beast wave. Only, in that case their opponents would not be segregated by cultivation tiers and colored realms. Plus, I did give everyone the Taichi method and adamantite gear."

The old Alchemist just smiled a bit sad. "I'm not saying you're wrong, young Soldier. I'm saying the results will be similar to yours. A shallow and rapid cultivation, driven by necessity and desperation. As for natural, the ideal cultivation for Monarchs should happen slowly, via meditation and soul searching, so that people can integrate with their souls more profoundly."

"Why are you selling cultivation pills then? Why could I reach Tier 6 so fast?" Pef asked with a teasing voice.

Rejin glanced around, then focused on Pef and then his special glove. "Making pills is the shape of my cultivation. It is how I learned to cultivate, and how my soul is fulfilled. But, with cultivation there are always certain paths. Those that cultivate for the sake of others find it easier, and I mean easier to bear the burden. But there are perks too, ascending faster."

"It is the same for my Legion. We cultivate and reach higher realms to defend others from bigger threats. War and violence are much riskier than baking pills in a cauldron..."

Pef argued in a more serious tone.

They stood in silence for a while, each mulling over the words they heard.

"So, what's going on with Lady Cellia? You seem to be good friends, and yet you didn't marry her...?" Rejin asked in a different tone.

Pef scratched his cheek, thinking about an answer. "I did ask, but she never gave me a proper answer. She's not like the others though. Cellia is much older and has been through a lot of suffering, defending our home planet for millions of years before I was born. Maybe she sees me as a child, or maybe she lost too much."

"I think I see. Lady Cellia is used to being independent and by herself. Only she now lacks the purpose that gave her life meaning. She no longer has a world to protect, nor are her powers strong enough for this wider verse. Perhaps you should send her to a Sect, give her a purpose again as a guardian or teacher." Rejin mused to himself, then started sipping more Godwine.

"Can we make lots of Monarch Rank pills? I do have a billion Sovereigns, all waiting for a chance to ascend." Pef asked, changing topics back to his current problem.

The Alchemist frowned, then nodded. "We would need lots of lower tier ingredients, and perhaps a few lightning tribulations. But in principle, the organs of any divine realm beasts will suffice. And if you add some Godbeast blood in the cauldron..."

"Hah, it will be a meat soup in there. So, how many pills can you make at once?" Pef wondered a bit curious.

Rejin just grinned as the cauldron appeared in his hand, looking no larger than a tea cup. "All the stars in this universe can fit right in here, just like your own inner world contains an entire universe or even three of them. But the cauldron is even larger inside. It is not called a Divine Artifact because it is large, or durable though. I think you should know this, because you do have that glove." he added with a knowing glance at Pef's right hand.

An orange leather glove appeared on Pef's hand, for once visible and exuding menacing vibes.

"It doesn't like being seen, like you Tier 7s can. I'd say it prefers working invisibly from the back." Pef explained with a wide grin.

The Alchemist smiled in turn, then gently pushed the tea cup-sized cauldron towards Pef. "Touch it. With the glove."

'Are you scared?' Pef asked inward, as he felt reluctance from the glove.

'If you realized how powerful it is, you'd not be so glib. This thing is so beyond us as we are from normal mortals.' the glove muttered in a resigned tone, just as Pef moved his hand to reach for the cauldron.

For a moment, nothing changed. Then Pef felt a new presence in his mind, or maybe in his soul. It was so overwhelming that he couldn't pin its location, coming from everywhere at once.

'Hello there, I'm Pef Xi!' he introduced himself, politely but cheerful. He did not worry about the cauldron or his user too much.

'Are you? Oh well, I suppose you don't remember yet. Only at Dian Realm do Seed World cultivators connect to their Fate and begin gleaming into their true past. As for true recall, you'd have to attain Tian Realm, or submerge in the Oblivion Pools of a higher realm.' the presence spoke in his mind, each word leaving shockwave trails in its wake.

It was worse than the Word Guns, but yet Pef felt no pain or fear, just awe. This artifact was truly out of this world and way stronger than he imagined.

'Do you cultivate as well, by making pills?' Pef asked instead, felling curious.

'Hah! That is a wonderful question. Do I cultivate the Dao of Pills or am I instead Dao given form? Form follows function, and my function is to make pills. And you want a billion tiny pills, for your tiny army. It will be done, but who will pay the costs?' the cauldron continued in a rather amused tone, before retreating.

Pef drew back his hand and raised his eyes towards Rejin. "That's a wonderful artifact you have here. It knows so much!" he exclaimed with awe.

Rejin chuckled as the cauldron vanished in his palm. "While it is true the cauldron needs a user, do you think anyone could just take it? Every time I did something foolish and died, the cauldron waited for me in the next life, standing guard over the new self until I reached Spirit Realm and could once more begin making pills with my alchemical fire."

"I see. You're just as much his property as it is yours. The cauldron chose you, and will find you again if you die." Pef said with a bright smile.

Rejin tilted his head, in deep thought. "Not property. More like a soulmate and partners in Dao. As I learn of Alchemy, it grows beside me. We fit quite well, like a hand in a glove maybe."